Heartbeat/Tragedy

"Heartbeat / Tragedy" is the fourth single released by British pop group Steps. "Heartbeat", written by Jackie James, was the first ballad released as a single by the group. The single is also known as one of their Christmas songs as it was released near Christmas, though it makes no mention of the holiday itself. Whilst promoting the 2012 Hit Factory Live event, Pete Waterman revealed that the song had sat in a drawer for years before he gave it to the band to record. "Tragedy" reached number 1 in the UK and New Zealand.

"Heartbeat / Tragedy"
Single by Steps
from the album Step One and Steptacular
B-side	"Stay With Me" (Tragedy, US)
Released	6 November 1998
Recorded	1998
Genre	Pop
Length	4:24 ("Heartbeat") 4:31 ("Tragedy")
Label	Jive
Songwriter(s)	"Heartbeat": Jackie James "Tragedy": Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb
Producer(s)	Frampton Waterman
Steps singles chronology
"One for Sorrow" (1998) "Heartbeat / Tragedy" (1998) "Better Best Forgotten" (1999)
Music video
"Tragedy" on YouTube

The video for "Tragedy", originally a hit by the Bee Gees, contained the dance step of putting both hands parallel to the sides of the head in time with the word 'Tragedy', which became a trademark of the group. The single hit the number one spot in the UK Singles Chart after eight weeks on that chart. "Heartbeat / Tragedy" spent a total of 30 weeks in the chart, and sold more copies than all three previous Steps singles combined, with 1.21 million copies sold in the UK.[1] Heartbeat features Claire and Faye singing the first two verses. Lisa performs the middle eight, followed by Claire. The rest of the group join in for the choruses. Tragedy features again Faye and Claire singing the verses, with the rest of Steps joining in for the choruses.

Critical reception

AllMusic editor Jon O'Brien described the song as a "triumphant cover".[2] Lucas Villa from AXS wrote that Richards, Tozer and Scott-Lee's "powerful performances (coupled with that iconic hands dance step) made "Tragedy" an undeniable dance floor anthem."[3]

Music videos

The music video for "Heartbeat" is set in snowy surroundings. It begins with Steps riding a sleigh while an evil Ice Queen has her sights set on Ian "H" Watkins; she is watching an image on the tiny pond in her throne room. The group are staying in a lodge, and H goes out back to fetch some wood for the fire. The Ice Queen decides that this is the time to strike, and she sends her three dwarf guards to kidnap H. They jump H, and the Ice Queen casts a spell, knocking him out. By the time H wakes up, he is in the back of their sleigh. The rest of the group come out and find H is missing, finding only a little sword carried by one of the guards. On skis and snowmobiles, they set off to rescue H. Along the way to the Ice Queen's castle, they stop at a barn, finding absolutely nothing. Arriving at the castle, they break into the throne room where H is tied up in the middle of the frozen pond. Faye Tozer, Lee Latchford-Evans and Claire Richards easily take care of the guards (while H is able to free himself), and Lisa Scott-Lee defeats the Ice Queen with a karate kick to the chin. The group then return to the lodge for a Christmas party.

The video for "Tragedy" starts with a Doraemon-shaped alarm clock ringing and sees Faye, Claire, and Lisa getting married. The lads, Lee and H, sabotage all three weddings before they all go to a disco. The church and disco scenes were filmed in All Saints' Church, Harrow Weald, London and the adjoining Blackwell Hall, respectively. The external location shots of the boys leaving their house and driving were filmed in Blackheath, South London. The group's actual families all took part in the video, with the girls' fathers walking them down the aisle, and record producer Pete Waterman appears as the wedding DJ.

Track listings

CD

UK version

1. "Heartbeat" - 4:24
2. "Tragedy" - 4:31
3. "Heartbeat" [Instrumental] - 4:24

US version

1. "Tragedy"
2. "Stay With Me"

(Includes fold out poster with the dance steps to "Tragedy")

Cassette

1. "Heartbeat" - 4:24
2. "Tragedy" - 4:31

Remixes

• Tragedy (WIP Reception Mix)
• Tragedy (WIP Mix)
• Heartbeat (Simon Hill Mix)

Credits and personnel

A-side: "Heartbeat" Recording Recorded at PWL Studios, Manchester in 1998 Mixed at PWL Studios, Manchester Mastered at Transfermation Studios, London Vocals Lead vocals – Claire Richards, Faye Tozer, Lisa Scott-Lee, Ian "H" Watkins Background vocals – Lee Latchford-Evans Personnel Songwriting – Jackie James Production – Karl Twigg, Mark Topham, Pete Waterman Mixing – Pete Waterman, Dan Frampton Engineer – Chris McDonnell Drums – Chris McDonnell Keyboards – Karl Twigg, Mark Topham Credits adapted from the liner notes of Step One.[4]

A-side: "Tragedy" Recording Recorded at PWL Studios, Manchester in 1998 Mixed at PWL Studios, Manchester Mastered at Transfermation Studios, London Vocals Lead vocals – Claire Richards, Faye Tozer Background vocals – Lisa Scott-Lee, Lee Latchford-Evans, Ian "H" Watkins Personnel Songwriting – Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb Production – Mark Topham, Karl Twigg, Pete Waterman Mixing – Dan Frampton, Pete Waterman Engineer – Chris McDonnell Drums – Chris McDonnell Keyboards – Karl Twigg Guitars – Mark Topham Credits adapted from the liner notes of "Steptacular".[5]

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1998–1999) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[6] 10 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] 8 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[8] 27 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[9] 6 Greece (IFPI)[10] 10 Ireland (IRMA)[11] 2 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[12] 22 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[13] 24 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[14] 1 Scotland (Official Charts Company)[15] 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[16] 4 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[17] 1 UK Indie (Official Charts Company)[18] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1998) Position Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[19] 68 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[20] 12 Chart (1999) Position Australia (ARIA)[21] 92 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[22] 46 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[23] 48 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[24] 30 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[25] 19

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Belgium (BEA)[26]	Gold	25,000^*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[27]	Platinum	10,000^*
Sweden (GLF)[28]	Gold	15,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)[29]	2× Platinum	1,210,000[1]
United States	—	98,000[30]
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

See also

• List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 1990s
• List of million-selling singles in the United Kingdom

References

1. Copsey, Rob (14 March 2017). "Steps' biggest selling singles revealed". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
2. O'Brien, Jon. "The Ultimate Collection". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
3. Villa, Lucas (19 June 2017). "Steps turns 20: Counting down the pop group's top 10 singles". AXS. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
4. Step One (Liner notes). Steps. Jive Records, EBUL. 1998. 0519112.CS1 maint: others (link)
5. "Steptacular" (Liner notes). Steps. Jive Records, EBUL. 1999. 0518492.CS1 maint: others (link)
6. "Australian-charts.com – Steps – Heartbeat / Tragedy". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
7. "Ultratop.be – Steps – Heartbeat / Tragedy" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
8. "Ultratop.be – Steps – Heartbeat / Tragedy" (in French). Ultratop 50.
9. "Music & Media: Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
10. "Top 10 Greece" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
11. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Heartbeat / Tragedy". Irish Singles Chart.
12. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 8, 1999" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40
13. "Dutchcharts.nl – Steps – Heartbeat / Tragedy" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
14. "Charts.nz – Steps – Heartbeat / Tragedy". Top 40 Singles.
15. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
16. "Swedishcharts.com – Steps – Heartbeat / Tragedy". Singles Top 100.
17. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
18. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company.
19. "Jaaroverzichten 1998" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
20. "Best Sellers of 1998 – Singles Top 100". Music Week. 16 January 1999. p. 7.
21. "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 100 Singles 1999". Aria.com.au. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
22. "Year in Focus – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1999" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17 no. 1. 1 January 2000. p. 11. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
23. "End of Year Charts 1999". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
24. "Årslista Singlar – År 1999" (in Swedish). Hitlistan. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
25. "Best Sellers of 1999: Singles Top 100". Music Week. London, England: United Business Media. 22 January 2000. p. 27.
26. "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 1999". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
27. "New Zealand single certifications – Steps – Heartbeat/Tragedy". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
28. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1999" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Retrieved 2011-09-28.
29. "British single certifications – Steps". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Steps in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
30. UK Pop Acts Have To Speak New Language. Billboard. Retrieved 2012-04-09.

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics